Cleveland County Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Karen Pritchard is retiring after more than 28 years of service. She joined the Department of Social Services in 1990 as a social worker in adult services and became a supervisor in child welfare in 1993. Six years later, she was named program administrator over child welfare and adult services. Pritchard continued to progress through the agency becoming Deputy Director in 2006 and Director in 2008.
As Director of Cleveland County’s Department of Social Services, Pritchard manages 216 employees and a budget of $20.5 million. She oversees service delivery that includes child day care, adult care, foster care, adoptions, child support, food assistance, and family and children’s services.
During her tenure, Pritchard was appointed by Governor McCrory to serve on a statewide task force to address the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues. She served as co-chair of the North Carolina children’s services committee for the Association of Directors of Social Services and she served on UNC Chapel Hill’s social services child welfare curriculum design team.
“Today, we celebrate and thank Karen Pritchard for a lifetime of public service,” said Mary Accor, DSS Board Chair. “Not only has she managed and expanded the services that DSS provides, but she has given her heart and soul to protect and serve vulnerable children, adults and families in Cleveland County,” said Accor.
“I worked directly with Karen when I chaired the DSS Board and I saw first-hand how passionate she was about helping people,” Cleveland County Commissioner Susan Allen said. “She has been a catalyst for improving the effectiveness of social service delivery in Cleveland County and that success has been recognized with more than 10 statewide awards for best practices,” Allen added.
“Karen is one of those rare individuals who truly cares about making a difference in the lives of people – and what a difference she has made,” said Cleveland County Manager Brian Epley. “In the past 10 years that Karen has served as Director, DSS has provided services to more than 632,000 individuals, collected over $100 million in child support payments for families, supervised the care of more than 1,000 children in foster care, and facilitated adoptions of 178 children,” Epley added.
“When I look back on my time working with DSS, I am most proud of making a difference in the lives of children, adults and families whom I have had the honor to serve,” said Pritchard. “Many people cannot comprehend how difficult the life circumstances are for the individuals that DSS helps – children and adults who suffer neglect, abuse and exploitation – and I am proud to have helped make their lives better,” she added. “I am also proud of the individuals with whom I have worked,” said Pritchard. “The employees who work at the Department of Social Services are so dedicated to the work they do to change lives,” Pritchard said.
Pritchard’s last day is December 31, 2018. Cleveland County has begun the search for a new Director and hopes to have that person in place in the first quarter of 2019. “The new Director has big shoes to fill,” said Epley.
For more information about Cleveland County Department of Social Services, please visit www.clevelandcounty.com.
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